Baby Freebies

We all know how expensive having a baby can be. The good news is there are lots of companies giving away free baby items. That’s right completely free. I’ve gotten a lot of free baby items. The bad news is it can take forever weeding through all the various sites and companies and trying to figure out which ones are legit, not to mention the time it takes to do all that. And as anyone knows free time is not something parents have a lot of. That’s where I come in! Here you will find a list of many baby freebies for all sorts of things. I will start out with ones I have gotten personally  and as I find more I will add them. Don’t worry I will always check them out before adding the links here so you don’t waste any time getting your awesome baby freebies. And if any of them have a S&H fee or a membership fee I will be sure to let you know. Alright, enough chit chat let’s get to those freebies! 😀

https://www.amazon.com/baby-reg/homepage                                                                             Free $35 Baby Box. This one is a bit tricky, but worth it. Often Amazon lets you try Amazon Prime for free for 30 days. That’s how I got mine and then decided to keep it because I’ve found it really is worth it. So after you sign up for Amazon Prime you need to create a Baby Registry. There’s a Jumpstart guide that you’ll want to follow. Basically you just pick at least one item from each category. Then make a $10 purchase or have someone else make the purchase from your registry. Then click the Claim Now button and you will receive your free $35 Baby Box. It changes monthly I think, but I really liked my samples. I got a bottle, a pacifier, baby lotion, lotion for me, prenatal vitamins and I know there was more. I’ve heard some people have gotten onesies. So, it just depends on the month and what sort of things you have on your registry I believe. So, this can be 100% free if you have someone that wants to get you a gift and you cancel your Prime membership in time.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/mom/signup/info?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&linkCode=ur2&tag=tsb13-20                               Here’s a link to try Amazon Family free for 30 days! You get lots of great benefits such as discounts on diapers & wipes. Free shipping. And much more!

https://www.ringling.com/babys-first-circus/                                                                                   Free ticket to the circus. As long your child is under 12 months you get a free ticket just for signing up for Baby’s First Circus which is completely free. I just signed up for this one. So, I haven’t received my ticket yet. It was quick and easy though.

https://womensforum.formstack.com/forms/efb_wf?tid=1021c32dd5104046a11beddabbe7d8                                                                                              Free Formula and Coupons. Enfamil Family Beginnings is great! Whether you’re going to EFF or just supplement this is a great deal. I got 4 different cans of formula. One was newborn, infant, and gentle ease. I may have gotten 2 of the infant. I just remember it equaled to 4 cans and I can 4 packets of infant on the go formula. They’re pre – measured for 4 ounces I believe. And I got lots of coupons and still receive coupons in the mail. And the emails they send you usually have some helpful tips and they don’t blow up your email.

https://www3.samsclub.com/best-deals/samplesamsclub/                                                       Free Baby Box. Another great one. And you don’t need to be a member of Sam’s Club and it gets delivered. I got a little book, diapers, wipes, etc.

http://www.seventhgeneration.com/                                                                                                 This company is great! All of their products are free and clear. All you have to do is sign up for their emails and keep an eye on their website. I’ve gotten lots of free diapers and wipes from them. I’ve seen where they’ve also given away free laundry detergent as well. So, it’s worth reading their emails whenever you get them and checking the website at least a couple times a week. And they don’t bombard your email all the time. And I really liked their diapers and wipes.

http://www.target.com/gift-registry/baby-registry                                                                      Free Baby Bag. What you get will vary a little, but you will get items and coupons that equal anywhere between $50 – $75 worth of stuff. All you have to do is create a free registry and then go pick up your bag. This was one of my favorites. I really liked the pacifier, diapers, wipes and Starbucks coupon in mine. Again there were plenty of other goodies, but those are what stuck out in my mom brain.

http://tinysignsonline.com/                                                                                                                   Free downloadable baby sign language chart. All you have do is sign up for their emails. The chart has 9 common signs on it to get you started with baby sign language.

https://www.walmart.com/cp/1229485?u1=&oid=223073.1&wmlspartner=CY3NkS*Y9qw&sourceid=31491806623814909862        Free Baby Box. Here’s another really great one that gets delivered. I got so many goodies in this one I can’t even remember them all.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/presidential-greetings-request                                  Free Baby Welcome Greeting from The President. This one is really cool. You just have to make your request anytime after your baby is born up until he/she is 1 year old. We got ours from President Obama and after President Elect Trump takes office I plan to request another one. I think it will work since it’ll be two different presidents. I figure it’s worth a shot. Oh, and it did take quite awhile to receive so don’t get discouraged if it takes awhile.

My favorite reward sites and apps

I’m compiling a list of my top ten sites and apps I use to save money and/or get rewards. Every site or app (except one) on this list is free to use. I’m sure with most of these you can spend money if you want, but it’s not required to use or sign up with them. I’m not adding anything that I don’t personally use and trust. It will have my referral links if applicable so that I get credit.

 

1. Bill Cutterz They saved my husband and I a lot of money on our internet bill! They can work on your behalf to save money on your cell phone, cable and satellite TV, internet (as I already mentioned), electricity (in some states), landline telephone, satellite radio, and SO much more! They just take a percentage of the savings as payment. So, you’re still saving money, but they’re the ones calling the companies and finding you the best deal. You pay them nothing if they can’t save you money! Just click Bill Cutterz and when you get to the “How did you hear about us” section choose “Friend” and enter Samantha Hudson, please.

2. Bing I use the search engine bing. The have several rewards! I’ve always redeemed my points for 12 months of XBox Live Gold membership or 1-3 months of XBox Game Pass. My husband is a gamer and this saves us a lot of money and he gets something he enjoys and uses all the time! As of now I don’t believe there is a referral program, but it is still well worth using in my opinion.

3. Fetch is an app I use on my Android phone and it’s also available for iPhone. It’s for scanning receipts. That’s all you do and you get rewards! And they just added an option where you can scan receipts from anywhere you shop! It used to just be grocery stores and gas stations. This will help your rewards add up faster. The receipts have to be from within the last two weeks to be counted. I haven’t personally cashed out yet because I’m saving up for the highest reward which is a $50 gift card. You’ll want to click this link Fetch from your cell phone as it’s for a mobile app.

4. Honey is great!! I use it on my computer because that’s how I do my online shopping. There is also an app for it as well if you do online shopping from your Android or iPhone. You can earn rewards from this site such as Amazon, Target, and Nike gift cards. I personally haven’t done so yet. I use honey because it often saves me money by finding discount codes. And if you choose to use a discount code it finds (which I’ve never not chosen to!) you get honey reward points.

5. Ipsy is my favorite makeup subscription service! The bags are so cute and you can easily use them to make gifts for friends (if you can bare to part with them yourself). And every time you review your bag and the items in it you get points that you can use for free items in a future bag! The points do expire after a certain amount of time without redeeming them or earning more. Since this is a subscription service it does cost to join. However, since it’s a great value and you earn rewards after you join I thought it deserved to be on this list. Here’s the link to subscribe or just try it month by month ipsy

6. ReceiptPal is another receipt app I use on my Android cell phone. I have already redeemed my points twice for $10 Amazon gift cards. This app also accepts receipts from anywhere you shop! And you even get to be entered into sweepstakes for free every time they validate 5 of your receipts. My son enjoys “popping” the balloon and picking swans. Here’s the link for Receipt Pal And I recommend clicking it from your phone since it’s for an app.

7. Redbox is worth signing up for if you enjoy renting movies It’s free to sign up and you get reward points every time you rent a movie at the box or on demand. They often have deals where you get 75 cents off a rental and sometimes free rentals. It helps if you sign up for text alerts too. The reward points from Redbox do expire after 6 months without accumulating more. So, it’s a good idea to keep on eye on how long it’s been since you’ve rented a movie. I’m posting the link from my mobile app Redbox

8. Swagbucks is one I check out everyday! You can use it on your computer or your cell phone. How quickly the points add up is entirely up to you. You can answer surveys, do the poll of the day, add their extension to your browser to get cash back and rewards for shopping online, and MUCH more!! I’ve redeemed my points twice and I’ve gotten a $25 Amazon gift card and a $25 Visa gift card. They have LOTS of different rewards and amounts. It just depends on how long you want to save up. I got too excited to keep waiting. And I noticed my points didn’t expire with them. I’ve been with Swagbucks since 2011 and for a few years I had forgotten about them. When I went back my account was still active and my points were still there. I just added onto them and then I redeemed them. That’s why this is the only site I use for surveys. As I mentioned there’s many other things you can do if surveys aren’t your thing. It’s still a site or app worth checking out. You can get even more swagbucks if you download the app and print off grocery coupons. I’m posting the link for swagbucks from my computer. I don’t know if it will make a difference if you click it from your phone or not.

9. UpVoice is a Google extension I use on my computer. You get points for visiting Amazon, Facebook, YouTube, or any other of their participating sites. To be eligible to join UpVoice you have to be at least 18 years old. Capable of entering into a contract agreement. Have an active Facebook account. Have a computer with a Google Chrome browser. Fit a specific demographic profile (subject to changes). However, even if you do not qualify today, they say they will be sure to contact you as soon as they have an opening for your profile. I’m 20 points away from a $40 gift card. My points have consistently been adding up though, and I’ve had no issues.

10. This is my last recommendation and I don’t have a link for it as it’s not one specific site. I recommend signing up for your local grocery store rewards card. I added it to the list because there’s so many options to shop online now and you can often use your rewards card online as well as in store. Granted this will vary by location, but I thought it was worth adding. I signed up in my little town and am able to redeem the points for free groceries. It’s a free rewards card, not a credit card. It’s worth the couple minutes it takes to sign up!

The Importance of Grandparents

It’s been a long time since I’ve posted. But with Christmas time here I started thinking about family and other things and I had to get some thoughts jotted down.

This time of year is all about hope, forgiveness, and love. My amazing son is now 3.5 and I cannot believe how fast time is flying by! I have much to be thankful for! And everyday I try to remember how blessed I am. However, during this time of year I can’t help but also feel a little sad. Sad for the loved ones I’ve lost and miss dearly. I’m thinking especially of my father. He passed away 13 years ago. So, long before my son was born. My father and I had a complicated relationship. He and my mother divorced when I was just two years old. So, I don’t have the typical family memories. Holidays and birthdays were always split. Sometimes they were nice, sometimes they were hard. He usually saw me every other weekend. As much as my father loved me it was sometimes difficult for him to show it. He struggled a lot with his own demons while I was growing up. Then as I got older we certainly had our differences and didn’t agree on much. Whether it be politics, religion, music, makeup, you name it. We were just very different people.

When I was 19 he passed away from cancer. I do feel fortunate for the time I got with him at the end. I got to hear a lot of things I always longed for. I got to hear how much he loved me and that he was proud of me. Things that I will treasure forever. Things I know not everyone gets. So, again I am truly grateful. I just wish he had gotten to meet his grandson. I know that would have brought him so much joy. And I know that he would have made a terrific grandfather! And there’s so much he would’ve made up for by being a good grandfather.

So, while I know forgiveness can be a hard thing I urge you, if you have a kid(s) and they rarely or never get to see their grandparents, please try to set aside your differences if only just for the holiday season. Not only will it be a life changing gift for your child and parent, it will be one for you as well.

The “Perfect” Family

I’m going to write a little bit (alright maybe more than a little) about why I’m one and done and what it means to me. And why I feel that it’s so important not to make assumptions on what the “perfect” family should be for anyone.

To start I can’t understand why people think it’s okay to ask or especially butt into someone’s life in such a personal manor as to say what number of children someone should or shouldn’t have in order to have the “perfect” family. That is something each person has to discover for themselves. There is not one right answer for everyone. And putting your nose where it doesn’t belong can be very hurtful. You have no idea what someone’s reasons are for keeping their family the size it is. And asking intrusive questions is not helpful. Whether they just don’t want to, or can’t have any children, or anymore children, or any other reason is not a topic to be brought up nonchalantly. It’s very personal and if they want to talk about it they will bring it up.

I’ve heard some very strange reasons people have given to me personally to have more kids. Here are just a couple. And following the questions are the answers that I’ve given and answers that I wish I had thought to give or add to my original answer.

1. Doesn’t he deserve a brother? Or a sibling in general?
2. What about when you and your husband die? It’s not fair for it all to fall on him.
3. Do you think you’re being selfish to only have one?
1. How can I guarantee what gender I would have? How does that even make a difference? Many siblings are closer being the opposite gender. And many siblings aren’t close by being the same. And some siblings just aren’t close at all. There’s NO WAY to know what they’re relationship would be. What my child does deserve is to be happy and to have the best of me. For some they can have more children and still  give the best of themselves. I know myself though and I know the best way I can give my best to my child is by keeping our family as it is now. It’s what works for us.

2- 3. I can’t see the future. I don’t know how it will be for him. Obviously it will be hard no matter what when we pass. Having siblings could make it easier or much worse depending on their relationship. I hope he will have friends and a wonderful wife/spouse to support him and be there for him during that difficult time. I’m trusting he will make the
relationships he needs in life. I can do many things for him, but I think one of the most important things is raising him right and trusting that as he gets older he will know what he needs. And me giving him a sibling as a “what if” right now may or may not be helpful. What that would do is keep me from being the best mom I can be for him right now. He’s here right now. He’s living and he’s my number one priority and I will give all I have to raising him as best as I can. I don’t see how that makes me selfish

I just find it amazing how people that don’t pay my bills, are not in my marriage and do NOT live MY life think they know what’s best for me and my family and how many kids we should have. As though the number and gender generates a greater probability for happiness. For some it may. And I think that’s wonderful. Its all about what works best for your family. What works best for one will not for another and I happen to think that’s a beautiful thing. I just don’t see what gives anyone the right to say what size your family should be. Your family could be complete with just you and your spouse or you might want 10 kids or somewhere in between. It’s a personal choice and not one for anyone else to judge!

It just would be nice if we could all be supportive of one and another and respect each other.
Live and let live I say.

First blog post

This is my first post on my first blog. I’m a first time mom to a beautiful, healthy baby boy. I came to the decision to make a blog about my journey with motherhood after talking with my best friend who just so happens to also be my sister. She’s the writer in the family, but has encouraged me to start this. The more I thought about the more I realized it would be nice to have all my “mom” thoughts in one place and perhaps some of ramblings might even help someone else or at least let them know there’s someone else like them. I’m looking forward to having a place to let my thoughts out and being able to share tips that I’ve learned along the way.

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